Gasoline recovery apparatus



July, 934. J, Q SWAN 3,965,011

GASOLINE RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1935 (j naruto@ 42 @www Patented July 3, 1934 si; STATES PATET OFFICE 14 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for recovering gasoline from natural gas and more particularly to an expansion apparatus by means of which gasoline may be quickly and easily removed from the natural gas.

An object of the improvement is to provide an apparatus which may receive natural gas directly from a well and which will economically and quickly recover the gasoline from the gas so that y the condensed gasoline and processed gas may be separately withdrawn from the apparatus.

The above and other objects may be attained by providing a gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing of suicient strength to withstand the pressures and temperatures to which the gases therein are subjected, a pair of spaced concentric shells being hermetically sealed within the casing and forming an expansion chamber and a refrigerant chamber, there being a multiplicity of condensing tubes located radially through said shells, the inner ends of the tubes having restricted openings communicating with the inner or expansion chamber and the outer -ends of the tubes communicating with a condensate chamber formed between the cuter shell and the casing, a gas inlet pipe being located within the inner or expansion chamber and having at its inner or lower end a perforated expan-` sion compartment communicating with said eX- pansion chamber and preferably provided with a check valve controlling the flow of gas thereto from the gas inlet pipe, means being provided for admitting refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant chamber and withdrawing unvaporized refrigerant liquid and refrigerant vapor therefrom, and for withdrawing processed gas from the upper portion oi the condensate chamber and gasoline from the lower portion thereof, a water outlet being also preferably provided in the lower por-y ltion of the expansion chamber for withdrawing condensed watery vapors.

An embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of the improved gasoline recovery apparatus;

Fig. 2, a plan sectional view of the same; and

Fig. S, an enlarged detail sectional view of the inlet end of one of the condensing tubes taken substantially on the line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

The gasoline recovery apparatus to which the invention pertains includes a casing or receptacle `which may comprise the cylindric side wall 10,

(Cl. (i2-122) bottom wall 11 and top wall 12 which may be slightly concaved or conical as best shown in Fig. 1.

The side wall 10 may comprise the spaced cylindric steel shells 13 preferably having a layer of 63 lead, as shown at 14, cast in place therebetween. The bottom wall 11 and top wall l2 may both be of steel oi sufficient thickness to withstand the temperatures and pressures to which the appara- 6r tus is subjected.

Concentrically spaced within the outer casing is a shell 15 which may be also formed of steel and which is welded or otherwise sealed at its upper and lower ends to the top and bottom walls oi the outer casing respectively, forming 7@ a condensate chamber 16 between said shell and the outer wall 10.

A second shell 17, or considerably less diameter than the shell l5, is concentrically mounted within the shell 15, the lower end thereor0 being welded 72 or otherwise tightly secured to the bottom wall 11 and having a head 18 welded therein, the upper end portion of the shell 17 extending through a suitable opening in the top wall 12 to which it may be welded or otherwise secured, a head 19 being welded upon the upper end of the shell 17. A refrigerant chamber 20 is'thus formed between the shells 15 and 17.

A gas inlet pipe 21 extends downward through the upper head 19 to which it is sealed as at S5 22. and is located concentrically within the inner shell 17 and is adapted to be connected to a gas well or other source of supply of natural gas.

An expansion compartment 23, of larger diameter than the gas inlet pipe 21, is connected to the lower end of said inlet pipe and may rest uponv the lower head 18 of the inner shell 17. A check valve 24 is normally held seated upon the valve seat 25, formed in the upper portion of said expansion compartment, as by the coil spring 26 which surrounds the valve stem 27, the lower end of which is slidably mounted in a suitable bearing 28 formed in the bottom wall of the expansion compartment.

Perforations 29 are provided near the lower end of the expansion compartment and a great multiplicity of perforations 30 are provided around the upper portion thereof just below the valve seat 25. The lower perforations are to permit condensed watery vapors to pass from the lower portion of the expansion compartment into the lower portion of the inner shell 17 which forms an expansion chamber. The upper apertures 30 permit the escape of the wet gas carryj COmpleSSOl.

ing the gasoline into the expansion chamber 31 formed within the inner shell 17.

A plurality of rows of radially disposed condensing tubes 32 are located through the shells 15 and 17 and open at both ends so as to form communication between the expansion chamber 31 and the condensate chamber 16, these tubes being welded or otherwise sealed to the shells 15 and 17 at the points where they pass therethrough so as to prevent communication with the refrigerant chamber 20. The inner end of each of the tubes 32 is preferably tapered as indicated at 33, the open inner end thereof being preferably internally threaded as at 34 and a plug 35 having an oppositely tapered reduced opening 36 may be threaded therein.

A water outlet pipe 37 may be connected to a suitable discharge port 38 in the lower head 18 of the expansion chamber 31 to drain off water condensed in the rst expansion of the gas, and a valve 39 may, if desired, be provided to control the discharge of water therethrough. A pipe 40 may be connected to an outlet port 41 in the bottom wall l1, providing an outlet for unvaporized refrigerant liquid from the refrigerant chamber 20, a valve 42 being preferably provided in said pipe.

A gasoline outlet pipe 43 is extended through the outer casing 10 and communicates with the lower portion of the condensing chamber 16, a valve 44, if desired, being provided in said pipe. An annular spray pipe 45, provided with a multiplicity of outlet apertures 4S, may be located Within the refrigerant chamber above the upper row of tubes 32 and communicates with an inlet pipe 47 leading from the pressure side of a compressor or the like, whereby refrigerant liquid from the compressor is forced into the spray pipe 45.

An outlet pipe 48 may be located through the top wall 12 for withdrawing refrigerant vapor and returning the same to the compression side of a compressor or the like, the pipe 40 which provides an outlet for the unvaporized refrigerant liquid also preferably leading back to the The processed gas may be withdrawn from the upper end of the condensate chamber through the pipe 49 which may be provided with a valve 50, the gas being carried to any suitable storage place. A pressure regulating valve 51 is preferably located in the gas outlet pipe 49, being provided with a spring 52 arranged to be adjusted to any desired pressure whereby such pressure as is necessary may be maintained in the condensate chamber 16. As

'\ the gas pressure in the condensate chamber extially nlling said chamber with refrigerant liquid to the level of the upper row of tubes 32. Where the pressure of the gas is materially below 360 pounds, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of about Fahrenheit in order to eliminate gasoline, propane and ethane from the gas.

The gas under pressure passes down through the pipe 21, forcing the valve 24 downward away from the seat 25, permitting the gas to expand in the expansion compartment 23 in which the j watery vapors in the gas are condensed, falling to the bottom of the compartment 23 and passing out through the apertures 29 into the bottom of the expansion chamber 31 from which the water is discharged through the outlet pipe 37.

The gas passes through the apertures 30 into the expansion chamber 31 from which it passes through the restricted inner ends of the tubes 32 into said tubes wherein the gasoline is condensed and issues from the outer ends of the tubes, dropping to the bottom of the condensate chamber 16 where it is withdrawn through the outlet pipe 43 to any suitable storage place. The processed gas is withdrawn from the upper end of the chamber 16 through the pipe 49, being carried therethrough to any suitable place of storage, and preferably passing through a heat exchanger through which the pipe 21 is also located so as to considerably lower the temperature of the incoming gas.

Additional refrigerant liquid may be supplied from the pressure side of a compressor, pump or the like through the pipe 47 to the spray pipe 45 to continually spray refrigerant liquid into the refrigerant chamber 20 and the unvaporized refrigerant liquid may be withdrawn through the pipe 40 and returned to the compression side of the compressor, pump or the like, while the vaporized refrigerant may be withdrawn through the pipe 48 and also returned to the compression side of the compressor. Where the pressure of the gas is materially below 300 pounds the valve 24 may be dispensed with and larger openings 36 may be provided in the plugs placed in the ends of the tubes 32.

In the event the apparatus becomes frozen, the flow of gas may be reversed, warm gas under pressure being admitted through the pipe 49, blowing out the tapered plug holes 36 which will be easily cleaned of ice because of the tapered shape thereof.

I claim:

1. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a restricted opening at the other end communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, and a pressure operated valve upon said pipe.

2. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a restricted opening at the other end communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, and a perforated expansion compartment located within the expansion chamber and connected to said pipe.

3. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a restricted opening at the other end communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, a perforated expansion compartment located within the expansion chamber and connected to said pipe, and a pressure operated valve between said expansion compartment and said pipe.

4. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a restricted opening at the other end communicating with the expansion chamber, means for admitting gas under pressure to the expansion chamber, and a refrigerant liquid spray pipe above said tubes.

5. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a plug screw threaded in the other end, there being a restricted opening in said plug communicating with the expansion chamber, and means for admitting gas under pressure to the expansion chamber.

6. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a plug screw threaded in the other end, there being a restricted inwardly tapered opening in said plug communicating with the expansion chamber, and means for admitting gas under pressure tothe expansion chamber.

7. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells within said casing forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and restricted openings in their inner ends communicating with the expansion chamber, and means for admitting gas under pressure to said expansion chamber.

8. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically located within said casing, forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and tapered inner ends having openings communieating with the expansion chamber, means for admitting gas under pressure to said expansion chamber, and means for applying refrigerant liquid to the exteriors of said tubes within the refrigerant chamber.

9. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically located within said casing, forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and tapered inner ends having openings communicating with the expansion chamber, means for admitting gas under pressure to said expansion chamber, and a refrigerant liquid spray pipe in the refrigerant chamber above said tubes.

l0. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically mounted within said casing forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and restricted openings in their inner ends communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, and means for admitting refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant chamber.

11. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically mounted within said casing forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and restricted openings in their inner ends communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, a perforate expansion compartment communicating with said gas inlet pipe within the expansion chamber, and means for admitting refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant chamber.

12. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically mounted within said casing forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and restricted openings in their inner ends communieating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, a perforate expansion compartment communicating with said gas inlet pipe within the expansion chamber, means for admitting refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant chamber, means for withdrawing water of condensation from the bottom of the expansion chamber, and means for withdrawing gasoline from the bottom of the condensate chamber.

13. Gasoline recovery apparatus including an outer casing, a spaced pair of shells concentrically mounted within said casing forming an expansion chamber within the inner of said shells, a refrigerant chamber between said shells and a condensate chamber between the outer of said shells and the outer casing, condensing tubes located through said shells and having open outer ends communicating with the condensate chamber and restricted openings in their inner ends communicating with the expansion chamber, a gas inlet pipe extending into the expansion chamber, a perforate expansion compartment communieating' with said gas inlet pipe within the expansion chamber, means for admitting refrigerant liquid to the refrigerant chamber, and a pressure operated valve between the gas inlet pipe and the expansion compartment.

14. Gasoline recovery apparatus including a casing having an expansion chamber and a condensate chamber therein, a multiplicity of condensing tubes each communicating at one end with the condensate chamber and having a restricted opening at the other end communicating with the expansion chamber, means for admitting gas under pressure to the expansion chamber, a gas outlet pipe communicating with the condensate chamber, and a pressure regulating valve in said gas outlet pipe.

JOHN C. SWAN.

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